Source: Flickr, Colin Kinner
There is an enormous amount of information about adopting children on the Internet, some of it is useful and some of it just clutters the rest. Clutter like comments on message boards or forums that perpetuate myths about adoption or foster care; comments that can sometimes scare or cause anxiety in prospective adoptive and birth parents. Together, we can tackle many of these common myths that you might come across as you research adoption options.
Common Myths about Birth Parents
One of the biggest myths that people see is that a birth parent will regret the decision for the rest of their lives. The truth is that for a prospective birth parent facing an unplanned pregnancy, making the choice for adoption can be a positive choice and one that is right for everyone. Regret won’t be part of the equation when people come to adoption from a place of love and support.
Another myth we see is that birth parents are uncaring. That anyone could think this means they have not truly considered the adoption process. When a prospective birth parent chooses adoption, it comes from love and unselfish decisions. Many prospective birth parents come across negative stereotypes on websites and find that there is a lack of community support to make the choice that is best for all. We hope to help eliminate those stereotypes and if you are an adoptive parent, speak out on the positive outcome of the process to keep this harmful myth at bay.
Common Myths about the Adoption Process
There are more articles on the adoption process than any other topic. And that is because so many adoptive and birth parents have questions and want to understand what every step might look like. You might come across myths saying that adoption damages the child or that the adoption process is secretive. The truth is that adopted children do as well in life as children who are not adopted. This is because both the adoptive and birth parents come to the decision and the process from a place of love and a total lack of selfishness. That child is loved by all in the process!
And as for secrecy, the level of information shared between adoptive and birth parents is entirely up to each group of people. Open adoptions provide more access by nature of the arrangement, but the adoption process today seeks to share information in a way that benefits everyone involved. Transparency is far more prevalent now than it used to be.
There are many more myths about adoption, which we will continue to tackle and dismantle. If you are an adoptive parent one of the best things you can do to help eliminate these myths is share your story with others and show them the beauty that is adoption.
